World-class mare Winx will win the 2017 Cox Plate, tipping guides across the country are all saying so and only horror luck will see this beauty beaten. That said, there are still two placings behind the champion to fill, so who are the best roughies to back at The Valley on Saturday?

Caulfield Cup graduate Hardham is the $151 roughie in Ladbrokes Cox Plate 2017 betting but can run a place at a blowout price. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

There are nine horses in the Group 1 $3 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) this season, but there is only one dual defending champion who is odds-on and that is of course Winx.

This superlative daughter of Street Cry has dominated the Cox Plate results over the past two years, nearly doubling her 2015 winning margin of 4.75 lengths making history with an eight length romp home over Hartnell last spring.

The last dual Cox Plate winning mare Sunline co-held the previous seven length winning margin record with Dulcify when she successfully defended her title in 2000.

Having won her past 21 on the trot, a genuine Moonee Valley specialist proven by the two Cox Plate victories and out to equal Black Caviar’s all-time record of 15 Group 1 wins there is a lot to like about Winx this weekend.

The bookies and punters agree and she is at $1.16 in the latest Cox Plate odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Outside of Winx it is an open affair in Ladbrokes Cox Plate betting with money for the 49.5kg three-year-old lightweight Royal Symphony ($16), but not much else.

That opens up the value in Cox Plate 2017 tipping when it comes to the minor placings, so where could the value lie in this season’s trifecta?

#5 FOLKSWOOD

Verdict: Genuine 2000m horse from the UK who has winning form down under and the Kerrin McEvoy selection to boot.

• Odds: $21
• Breeding: by Exceed And Excel from Magic Nymph
• Age: 5YO
• Sex: Gelding
• Trainer: Charlie Appleby (Newmarket, GB)
• Owners: Godolphin Management Co. Ltd.
• Jockey: Kerrin McEvoy
• Barrier: 5
• Lead-Up Run: 1^st, Listed Cranbourne Cup (2025m), Cranbourne, 15/10/2017

Five-year-old Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin raider who debuted down under with a big 2.75 length win in the Listed Cranbourne Cup (2025m). That was obviously an easier assignment, but still a nice warm-up. Finds out what Winx is all about, but has good form at this distance (4: 1-2-1) and looks a bit of class. Jockey opted to stick with him over the market mover Royal Symphony so that’s a tick as is the solid second-up record. Definite chance to show-up and run a brave second.

#GAILO CHOP

Verdict: Ladbrokes Stakes form, ace record at the distance and gun barrier four draw. Big place claims at a firming price.

• Odds: $20
• Breeding: by Deportivo from Grenoble
• Age: 7YO
• Sex: Gelding
• Trainer: Darren Weir (Warrnambool)
• Owners: O T I Racing, Mr L Webb, Ms D Mckeown, Ms M Webb, Werrett Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Bobbin Along, Uthmeyer Racing, Mr D Miller, Mrs D Miller, Mrs P I Goodfellow, Mr A H Goodfellow, Mr J C Higgins, Mrs F D Archibald
• Jockey: Mark Zahra
• Barrier: 4
• Lead-Up Run: 1^st, Group 1 Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m), Caulfield, 14/10/2017

Was equal second favourite before the move on Royal Symphony, so there’s a bit of value on a Darren Weir placing from the Ladbrokes Stakes winner. Winx won that race last year before the Cox Plate annihilation and this in-form gelding has upside. He’s improved each run this time in and is six-from-nine over the distance. Earns a Melbourne Cup shot if he finishes in the money and plenty suggests he will do just that drawn well in barrier four.

#7 HARDHAM

Verdict: $151 outsider but better than the odds suggest. Lock into exotics for big value Cox Plate bet.

• Odds: $151
• Breeding: by Redoute’s Choice from Nureyev’s Girl
• Age: 4YO
• Sex: Entire
• Trainer: David Brideoake (Mornington)
• Owners: Mrs S A Moody, Mr M J Bradley, Sir P Hogan, Mr M J Davidson, Mr S Derry, Mr M Fleming, Mrs K Fleming, Mr R J Patterson, Mr E Savaglia, Dr G Tsoi Wai Wang, Krualaya, Tomadachi, Ms R L Cormie, Kahos Racing
• Jockey: Luke Nolen
• Barrier: 3
• Lead-Up Run: 10^th, Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), Caulfield, 21/10/2017

Everyone has written off this four-year-old entire after the 10^th in the Caulfield Cup last time out. He was only five lengths beaten though and before that was racing well in non-black type company. This is a tough ask, but he’s got winning form at Moonee Valley in the Group 2 Alister Clark over the Cox Plate distance in the autumn and was third in the ATC Derby. Can surprise at a huge price and beat home some of the better fancied rivals on the quick back-up.